Molecular mechanisms of bacterial toxins Flashcards
function of bacterial toxins?
to cause damage to cells, tissues or the whole host organism, thereby contributing to disease
- undermine structure
- damaging and blocking immunty
Promote survival or spread of bacteria - hyaluronidase, collagenases
Damage or destroy cells/cell membranes - phospholipases; pores
Interfere with cell metabolism - cholera, diphtheria
Affect nerves - neurotoxins - botulism and tetanus
exotoxin
released proteins found in Gram+ve and Gram -ve
endotoxin
- powerful immunostimulants
- portion of LPS found in G-ve cell walls
- (also lipotheicoic acids of Gram +ve)
examples of toxins?
examples: cytotoxins enterotoxins neurotoxins leukocidins ciliostatic toxins
General Structure of Lipopolysaccharide endotoxin
polysaccharide and lipid
polysaccharide has an o-specific side chain, outer core and inner core
lipid is the lipid A part
essential functions of LPS?
Permeability barrier - allows only low molecular weight, hydrophilic molecules. Prevents penetration by bile salts and other toxic molecules; barrier to lysozyme and many antimicrobial agents.
Impedes destruction of the bacteria by serum components and phagocytic cells. – e.g. complement; macrophages
Role as an adhesin used in colonization of the host.
Both Lipid A (toxic component) and the polysaccharide side chains (the nontoxic but immunogenic portion) act as determinants of virulence in Gram-negative bacteria.
functions of variations in LPS structure
provide for the existence of different antigenic strains of a pathogen that may be able to bypass a previous immunological response to a related strain – immune evasion
Actions of Endotoxin
Activation of macrophage/monocyte cells
Macrophage/monocytes release IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, platelet activating factor and tumour necrosis factor (TNF-alpha). These also stimulate production of prostaglandins and leukotrienes.
Cytokines act at various sites including endothelium, liver, clotting cascade.
- activates complement via alternative pathway - can directly activate clotting cascade - cause polyclonal expansion of B-cells and secretion of immunoglobulins - increase phagocytic activity of macrophages
SEPSIS
increased vascular permeability, hypotension leading to hypovolaemic shock, fever, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), multiple organ failure
PAMPs and PRRs - example
e.g. LPS and TLR4
Links innate immunity recognition to adaptive immunity via signalling
Types of Toxins
Classified by site of action
Type I - at cell membrane - not transported in
Type II - on cell membrane - membrane damage
Type III - intracellular effect after translocation
Extracellular - cellular matrix or connective tissue
signalling process of LPS
Here is LPS and how it causes production of pro-inflammatory cytokines
CD14 is a host protein that recognises and binds LPS
Then combines with MD2 protein and binds TLR4
Type 1 toxin?
Stimulates signalling proteins, Membrane Guanyl cyclase (GC)
- changes intracellular cGMP
e. g. E.coli ST enterotoxin. Once it is on food, it can’t be removed as it’s temp stable. Binds G protein coupled receptor, increases cGMP, less regulation of electrolytes, Leads to Travellers diarrhoea. Temperature stable (ST) peptides
e. g. Streptococcus pyogenes, erythrogenic toxin - Scarlet fever
-Lysogenic conversion - phages
-Pyogenic Exotoxin types A, B, and C
(SPE-A, SPE-B, SPE-C)
-Toxin locates to skin damages membranes
of capilliaries
-punctate erythematous rash
(blanches - oedema filled haemolysis)
-tongue - raw - strawberry papillae
-desquamation
-complications - cellulitis + septiceamia
Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxin (TSST-1)
- 22 kilodalton peptide controlled by agr-quorum sensing
- Located on a pathogenicity island.
Causes Toxic Shock Syndrome whose symptoms include: fever, desquamative skin rash, hypotension,
multiple system involvement, and potentially death.
Organism carrying the toxin is usually phage type II.
Absorbed toxin induces production of IL-1B and TNF by monocytes.
Superantigens
The superantigens recognise the variable region of the TCR of a subset of T cells, not every superantigen will recognize every TCR variable region, but a subset, they have some specificity. Some superantigen will elicit proliferation of subset of T cells
-activate subsets of T lymphocytes to liberate cytokines
-mediates major systemic effects:-
fever, hypotension, skin lesions, shock,
multi-organ failure and death
-binds with high affinity to MHC class II receptors monocytes and macrophages
- distinct from the classic antigen binding groove
- Recognized by variable region, Vb, of the T-cell receptor of subsets of T lymphocytes.
Approaches to treating Toxic Shock Syndromes
- deal with the shock
giving fluids, bring the blood pressure back up - get rid of whatever’s producing the superantigen
- usually this means appropriate cocktail of antibiotics
- dampen down the over-active immune response
- steroids
